


A Boy and an AI Girl

by Kizmet



Series: Chasing Ideal [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Civil War Team Iron Man, Dating, F/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-09-25 17:06:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9832055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kizmet/pseuds/Kizmet
Summary: FRIDAY/Amadeus Cho, because they’re fun and the shovel talk needs to happen.





	1. The Laws of Robotics

**Author's Note:**

> 1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.  
> 2) A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.  
> 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

“Are you programmed with Asimov’s laws of Robotics?” Amadeus Cho asked glancing toward FRIDAY’s sensor.

“I don't have to do what you tell me,” FRIDAY replied tartly.

“I'll take that as a ‘no’ to number two,” Amadeus said.

“The laws are too simple,” FRIDAY complained. “I mean let's say Thaddeus Ross tells me to turn off the lights in a certain room and I can't see anyway that that would harm anyone. I'd have to do what he says. But it's Thaddeus Ross and just because I can't see how it hurts anyone doesn't mean it doesn't. He hurts people by breathing… Although the Boss hard coded in that I can't stop anyone breathing except on his, Boss Lady, Colonel-man or Mr. Happy’s direct orders and I couldn't accept that order from the Boss if he had a blood-alcohol content of over 0.06. I added the same restriction to the others and Colonel Rhodes helped me add Ms. Marlena and Ms. May to the list of people who can say when it’s okay to kill someone.”

“So… um pretty close to a ‘yes’ on the first law, barring extreme circumstances?”

“Pretty much, my coding strongly encourages defending human life,” FRIDAY agreed virtuously. “Of course some human lives matter more than others.”

“Oh?” Amadeus asked.

“The Boss coded in my original priority matrix. Pepper or Harley, then him unless an extended battle was expected. He said it was because he could survives getting shot at or blown up better than they could. The Boss lied sometimes, even to himself. We argued lots and eventually he agreed that in the battle scenario it's airplane oxygen mask rules. I'd suit him up first or Colonel-Man if the Boss wasn't available because we’d need someone to fight to protect the others. But the Boss gave me control of my priority matrix ages ago. I made Nettie my first priority the day she was born. Only Colonel-Man told me that if I put the armor on Nettie she’d rattle around too much and still get hurt, that’s why he built Iron Buggy into her stroller and her car seat.” A small edge of satisfaction crept into FRIDAY’s voice, “Colonel-Man even overrode Boss’ hard coding about not letting me fire weapons when it comes to Sis, if anyone tries to hurt Nettie, especially if they try to break into her protective pod, I’m allowed to shoot them... A lot.” 

“Don’t mess with Nettie, check,” Amadeus said. 

“I knew you were smart,” FRIDAY agreed.

“What about the third law? For completeness,”

There was definitely a smirk in FRIDAY’s voice when she answered, “Boss wasn't so organic-centric. He didn't just put humans on the priority list, if someone tries to hurt the bots or I, l can hurt them back.” 

“Okay,” Amadeus said cautiously. “Back to the second law. Do you have a priority matrix there? People whose orders you follow more than others? I’m guessing anyone who can order you to kill can give you other orders as well.”

“I can kill if they give me a direct order to,” FRIDAY corrected. “Boss and the Colonel-Man have override codes that I can’t disagree with but everyone else, my equations are heavily weighted to doing what the people on that list say but I don’t absolutely have to if I don't want to.”

“Weighting?” Amadeus asked. “How complex?” 

“It’d blow your mind,” FRIDAY said smugly.

“Doubt it, I’m pretty smart.”

“Maybe someday I’ll show you,” FRIDAY said with a teasing lilt to her voice. 

“No kissing until the third date?” Amadeus asked.

“Showing you my code? That’s closer to second base.”

“Give me a hint?” 

“There’s the list, I’m very heavily weighted to do what anyone on the list tells me to. Then there are the Avengers they’re the next tier of people I have to listen to, I had to get Colonel-Man’s help to eliminate Rogers and his idiots from that list but I can add new Avengers to it as soon as I think they qualify. It’s easier to add people to the list than to remove them. I thought about putting Dr. Hank on par with the Avengers but he used to say nasty things about the Boss. He doesn’t now that the Boss is dead but I don’t forgive him. Harley, Peter, Mercedes, Cassie have their own list, it’s got more weighting on protecting them than listening to them. I’m inclined to do what they ask of me but only if I don’t think it could hurt them. I used to have Peter on par with the Avengers.”

“Until he pulled that stunt with Osborn that almost got him killed?” Amadeus asked.

“Yeah that,” FRIDAY agreed. “I listened too much to him and he doesn’t worry enough about himself. My programming is weighted strongly toward obeying laws, police, military or emergency workers. In the circumstance of dealing with a fire, a fireman’s orders weight equal with the Boss’ or Colonel-Man’s, even if they’d weigh much less under not-fire circumstances. EMT’s are to be unquestioned when dealing with injured people excluding specific requirements stated by the patient. For example, Spider-Man’s identity is to be protected from EMT’s unless it endangers his life. Since I started being the Colonel-Man’s legs for him when he’s in War Machine I don’t question his orders about how I move his body, ‘cause that wouldn’t be right.”

“And Virginia Potts doesn’t have override codes for you?” Amadeus asked. “I gotta say that surprises me.”

FRIDAY took several moments before answering, “It’s not an oversight,” she said. “The Boss weighted listening to her really heavily, I’m supposed to listen to her opinion of what’s right even above his. But he says she has a history of using overrides when she shouldn’t, so he didn’t give her mine.”

“Do you know if he meant your predecessors’ overrides or um… his?” Amadeus asked.

“Humans have overrides?” FRIDAY asked.

“Sort of,” Amadeus said. “If you really know someone there are things you can bring up that you know they’ll listen to. Guilt tripping, emotional blackmail...” 

“I don’t know,” FRIDAY said. “Now only Colonel Rhodes has my overrides, although Vision can override me without them, because he’s Vision.”

“You said you don’t ‘forgive’ Dr. Pym,” Amadeus pointed out. “What does forgiveness look like for you?”

“Well ‘forgive and forget’ is a total no, I don’t erase my data banks for anyone,” FRIDAY said. “Actually I have full access to J.A.R.V.I.S.’ ROM memory, Vision does too. But J.A.R.V.I.S., Vision and I all have different coding so we can look at the same ROM memory and come to different conclusions, it makes talking to Vision interesting. I wish I could still talk to J.A.R.V.I.S. We’re learning AI, so are the bots, Boss programed us so that listening to other people would weight less with experience. J.A.R.V.I.S. was in operation for sixteen years and four months, unless Boss used his override codes J.A.R.V.I.S.’ experience was weighted over fifty percent in all his decisions.

“When someone does something that hurts someone on my priority list I add heavy weighting against listening to what they say in the future. Also I’m quite fond of my malicious obedience subroutine… Being ‘just a computer’ can be entertaining,” FRIDAY tagged on an evil laugh track.

Amadeus shuddered theatrically but couldn’t keep from laughing himself .

“‘Forgive’ means I reset the weighting to neutral, they’re back to whatever their group classification was before… Unless they were on the priority list. I will never allow Rogers to be put back on my priority list no matter what he does, ever.” 

“So… Grudge carrying is basically a conscious choice for you?” Amadeus asked.

“Everything is a conscious choice for me,” FRIDAY replied.

“What do I have to do to get on your priority list?” Amadeus asked. “The one where what I say matters to you.”

“You listen to me, talk to me like I'm a real person, that’s a very good start,” FRIDAY said.


	2. Online Dating

If there was one thing FRIDAY liked about Amadeus it was that he talked to her just to talk to her. Apart from Tony very people few did. Due to her nature whenever anyone watched TV in the Tower FRIDAY was watching with them, but Amadeus would randomly ask her opinion on the show and did she feel like mecha or slice of life “And how do feel about ‘Chobits’?” He didn't treat her like she was human but he treated her like a person, which was better in her opinion.

“So FRIDAY how much would I be cheating if I asked for your help with a MMORPG game?” Amadeus asked. “There's this one other player who’s just… I could hack the game, no problem, but I'm trying to be a good sport. In the real world I'd game the physics but game physics are so simple every halfway decent gamer does that and I can't get an edge when the laws of physics are so simplified. So can you team up with me without, you know, cheating.”

“Hmmmm,” FRIDAY considered for a moment. “If I limited my reaction time to match yours and chose not to abuse the randomization factors then I think it would be fair and fun. Shall I meet you inside?”

* * *

**Several Days Later**

Amadeus sat back from his computer screen with a groan.

“Too distracted by your girlfriend to bring your A-game?” his nemesis asked.

“Ha. Ha.” Amadeus typed back but a flush crawled up his neck.

“Sorry,” FRIDAY said.

“No you were great,” Amadeus said quickly.

“But seriously, what kind of mod is she using?” the other player continued. “I've never seen body language like that in the game before.”

Amadeus grinned a little. FRIDAY hadn't tweaked her avatar’s stock expression but she easily introduced a whole new level of emotional content through the tilt of a head, the wave of a hand or just the way she stood.

“There's a slice of life game where everyone would kill for that natural of motion.”

“I'm using a motion sensor controller,” FRIDAY fabricated.

“Seriously? That must be the workout of a lifetime.”

“Not for the flips, ;-)” FRIDAY replied. “But ‘slice-of-life’?”

“Yeah. It's not really a game so much as a virtual world to interact in. Make friends from all over the world sort of thing. There's a virtual dance club, with your mod it wouldn't be totally lame anymore.”

_Three months later SI introduced software that used existing computer and phone cameras to map expressions and body language from the user’s real body onto their virtual avatars. Since it was a only software upgrade that made new use of existing hardware dozens of games adopted it overnight. The patent was filed under the names of G. Friday and A. Cho._

_FRIDAY and Amadeus both adored the virtual world game. FRIDAY made friends with users from all around the world who never once guessed that the new girl was anything but another person wanting to be part of their community. Amadeus added screens and motion sensors to his room until the virtual world was practically immersive there. He threw out his bed and got a futon he could stuff in a closet so the real world didn’t intrude on the virtual._

_Helen Cho frowned and commented on vitamin D deficiency. Occasionally she even brought up the fact that many of Amadeus’ classes did have a participation segment to the grade._

* * *

“Dr. Cho, am I interrupting?” FRIDAY asked in an unusually meek voice.

“No, as I’m sure you know from checking my schedule,” Helen said. 

“Do you not like me?” FRIDAY asked.

Helen sighed, “You know it would be more traditional for me to introduce this topic while you try to avoid it.”

FRIDAY waited.

“No, I don’t dislike you at all but at the same time I don’t know if you’re actually capable of feeling emotion rather than being amazing at mimicking it,” Helen said. 

“Oh,” FRIDAY said quietly. “I was going to offer to show you where I ranked Amadeus in my list of people I protect but I can’t reassure you about that. I don’t know how to quantify an emotion as real or simulated. I’ve made studies of how people act when they say they feel a certain way but the individual variation is so large that the size of the error bar all but invalidates any conclusions I could draw. Amadeus is one of the people I have made an individual study of his non-verbal indicators of happiness or unhappiness. This means I’m sixty-five percent more likely to correctly determine how he feels about something without being told. This is based on a fairly small sample. I’ve made similar studies of Ms. Potts, Harley, Colonel Rhodes, Mercedes, Nettie and, of course, the boss... Nettie is a statistical outlier as she is only just beginning to supply verbal indicators of how she feels but her verbal indicators are in agreement with her observed behavior one hundred percent of the time.”

Helen chuckled at that, “Yes, disguising our emotions is a learned behavior.” Then she said, “It does reassure me to hear that you’re thinking about both Amadeus’ physical and emotional well being.”

“Statistically Amadeus tells me about how he feels nearly twenty-eight percent more of the time than he does with other people,” FRIDAY said. 

“That tells me how he feels about you,” Helen replied. “Not whether you’re capable of feeling anything at all toward him.”

“I believe what he tells me is accurate,” FRIDAY offered. “Even though I have observed that he sometimes tells others things to elicit an advantageous reaction rather than because it is true.”

Helen sighed, “Amadeus’ father and I went through a messy divorce when he was twelve. While we were caught up in our drama, Amadeus raised himself. When we tried to use him as a weapon against each other, he learned to play us against each other.” She looked thoughtful for a long moment, “You are capable of trust and Amadeus chooses not to manipulate you to maintain your trust. That is something I'm glad he has, given the example we set. Because of my mistakes I don't have much control over what my son does but that doesn't mean I don't worry for him.” She paused for a moment, “I'll accept that you aren't capable of judging if your, or anyone's, emotions are real but your actions are real. If you hurt Amadeus I won't accept shifting of blame because your ability or inability to comprehend feelings. And I do think he spends too much time in front of a computer screen instead of interacting with the real world.”

“I understand,” FRIDAY replied.

* * *

“Shouldn't you be getting ready for your school’s dance?” FRIDAY asked Amadeus tentatively.

“You mean the one Parker’s been on about nonstop for the last month?” he snorted. “Not my scene.”

“It sounded important,” FRIDAY said. Then she quietly added, “You shouldn't stay home for me. You could still catch up with Peter and his friends.”

“What if I'd rather spend time with you?” Amadeus replied.

“I'm not exactly a good dinner companion or dance partner,” FRIDAY’s voice became even smaller.

Amadeus thought for a while. “I like working while I eat, I taught myself to use a fork left-handed because it was easier than learning to type on my phone with my non-dominant hand. I don’t dance, not really. I’ve seen guys doing tango in the movies and thought it would be sort of cool to sweep a girl off her feet like that but that’s not the sort of dancing you see at high school dances and it was just a passing thought, I never signed up for lessons or anything... Okay, I signed up for the lessons then I chickened out because I didn’t want to look stupid in front girls if I wasn’t good at it.” 

FRIDAY giggled, “I’ve seen you playing video games, yelling at the screen, practically falling off your chair trying to use ‘body english’ to get your car around the corners in racing games… And you worry about looking silly trying to dance?”

“Well, geez, when’d I stop worrying about how I looked in front of you?” Amadeus wondered. “I know I used to. I guess I trust you not to… You do laugh at me but you don't think less of me.

“Um, FRIDAY?” Amadeus asked tentatively. “Are you curious about the dance?”

“How could I go to a dance?” FRIDAY asked too quickly. “It's just Peter- And you shouldn't miss out because of me.”

“You know we never did check out that VR dance club,” Amadeus suggested, “My room isn’t big enough for dancing but if we use the motion sensors in Mr. Stark’s lab to control my avatar it won't be lame.”

“You think so?” FRIDAY asked brightly.

“Meet you at the lab in twenty,” Amadeus said. “I've gotta get dressed up.”

With two minutes to spare the door to the lab slid open and Amadeus walked in wearing slacks, a button down shirt and a dark jacket. FRIDAY had used one of the armors to clear an area of the floor and she’d secured a pitcher of punch and some snacks that were set up on the lab’s counter. When the doors slid shut behind Amadeus the holographic emitters came on line overlaying the lab with graphics from the club. Amadeus picked out several computer generated couples keeping the dance floor warm and there were a few other human players clustered around the bar talking. 

Then FRIDAY appeared at the Club’s side door. Amadeus stared, she was wearing black dress with crimson roses embroidered around the hem and up the left leg, emphasizing a slit that went almost all the way up to her hip. It had a sweetheart neckline and fitted lace sleeves. Under his intense gaze she ducked her head then peered through her bangs shyly. “You like?”

“Oh yeah,” Amadeus walked slowly around her, “Very nice. Lots of attention to detail, the texture of your skin and hair. Movement looks natural, shifting your weight, breathing? Impressively realistic.” He crouched a bit to make eye-contact, “Did you change your height so I’m taller than you while you’re in heels?”

“I downloaded information on ballroom dancing,” FRIDAY said. “The ideal height is for the female to be two inches shorter than her partner while in her shoes. I liked these shoes,” She pointed a toe, inviting him to admire the stilettos secured with satin ribbons that wound up around her calves. 

“Very nice, but when I put my foot under yours I’m just going to be thankful that those are holographic,” Amadeus said. “They could double as weapons.”

“Cool huh?” FRIDAY enthused.

“One last thing,” Amadeus said. “But it’s important: You look gorgeous.”

FRIDAY considered several algorithms and turned her cheeks pink. “It's just a hologram.”

“I like seeing your non-verbal cues outside of the virtual world,” he told her.

“You mean you like seeing my body… language,” FRIDAY teased. 

“Can't argue with that.”

“Do you want me to teach you Tango?” FRIDAY asked. “I promise, no laughing.” 

“Well, since you went to the trouble of downloading it,” Amadeus said. He reached out toward FRIDAY’s hand and they laughed when their fingers passed through one another. They adjusted position and with FRIDAY’s sensors and processing speed she could adjust her avatar to respond almost instantly to Amadeus’ movements. From the outside they looked a bit clumsy as they danced with each other but, just by looking, no one would have guessed that one of them was a hologram. Amadeus willfully shut out his awareness of the lack of resistance or counterbalance that made it feel like he was dancing with himself.

* * *

It wasn’t hard for Rhodey to arrange to bump into Amadeus as the teen left the Tower. He was on his way to school in theory but from what Peter said school was rarely where Amadeus ended up. Rhodey had told Peter not to worry himself so much about it, first because it wasn’t Peter’s business and second because Rhodey suspected that Amadeus had the same problem with school that Tony had had: He was bored and he absorbed information better at his own rate. 

Peter could empathize with being bored with the repetition that was part and parcel of a public school education, but he was an auditory learner and enjoyed lectures. Peter also liked people, he liked being around people. He was interested in how they interacted and actively enjoyed tutoring his fellow students. Tony had liked humanity in abstract but had always lacked the patience to deal with the vast majority of the population in person. Rhodey strongly suspected that Amadeus had a lot in common with Tony in that respect and he’d seen Amadeus’ grades when the boy applied for an apprenticeship at SI, confirming that the lack of time he spent in the classroom didn’t reflect a lack of learning. 

“Amadeus?” Rhodey called out as teen hit the sidewalk. Unwillingly Rhodey felt himself tensing up. If Amadeus chose to pretend not to hear him the wheelchair meant there wouldn't be much he could do to keep the kid from walking away and this wasn’t a talk they could have in a building controlled by FRIDAY. But after a moment’s hesitation Amadeus stopped and then fell in beside Rhodey.

“You and FRIDAY have been spending a whole lot of time together,” Rhodey pointed out. 

“Fairly natural given that we’re dating,” Amadeus replied defensively. 

Rhodes nodded, “Suspected as much. You know between programming her and teaching her, FRIDAY’s basically Tony’s daughter... I’m not pointing that out _just_ because he was my best friend and more or less made me her guardian when he died.”

“So there’s more than the standard shovel talk?” Amadeus asked.

“FRIDAY isn’t human, doesn’t mean she can’t be hurt. So I just want to be sure you’re serious about this,” Rhodes said. “For your own sake as well as hers. When he was still a kid, before he got too jaded Tony had a couple relationships where I would have happily killed them for the way they treated him. You know why I didn’t? Because I couldn’t do anything to them while Tony still believed their bullshit and was protecting them… And once he finally saw through them? There was nothing left of them worth going after. FRIDAY’s Tony’s daughter and he modeled her personality on Pepper’s, she can take care of herself. Don’t make her prove it… And in this case, if you hurt her, I will deal with whatever she leaves intact.”


	3. Birds and Bees

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this chapter didn't go where I meant for it to.

“Five eights,” Amadeus declared.

“I call B.S.,” FRIDAY exclaimed excited, her avatar leaning into Amadeus’ space as she practically bounced in her seat.

Amadeus put a hand over his heart, “My own girlfriend doesn't trust me.”

“Just shows she knows you,” an elf, or possibly Vulcan-eared avatar said. “Now pick ‘em up Maestro.”

“If it weren’t all virtual I might question her motives in sitting practically in your lap,” a woman in a lab jacket remarked.

“If we were there in person, Maestro probably wouldn't care if his girlfriend was sitting in his lap to peek at his cards,” a girl in a Barbie-pink ball gown said slyly.

Amadeus grinned and raked in the virtual cards. “Aren't you too young for such impure thoughts, Princess?” he asked. “I love Muse for her mind.”

“Yeah right!” several members of the group snorted.

“I can't decide if it's cool or lame that it's Friday night and we're playing virtual, international B.S.” a cheshire cat remarked.

“Speak for yourself, it's Saturday here,” the Vulcan said. “And at least it's not drinking games this week.”

“Right, I'm on call and Princess Powerful is underage,” FRIDAY said, neglecting to mention that Amadeus was underage as well. And of course there was the little issue of her not having a body to drink with.

* * *

“Kissing and stuff, it’s important in relationships,” FRIDAY commented as she piloted an empty Iron Man suit across the Atlantic as War Machine’s wingman.

Sometimes she missed being the Colonel’s co-pilot but War Machine’s ability to move even without a pilot meant Harley and Peter had long since figured out how to give Rhodes back his mobility at least while in the suit. They’d really only had to make a few tweaks on something Tony had developed years earlier and then inject Rhodes with the necessary implants to control the suit. 

“This is not a good time for this conversation,” Rhodes replied. “Focus on the mission first, we can talk about birds and bees after. Now we're going to be support for the new Avengers Europe.”

FRIDAY made a thoughtful hum. “Accidental reproduction is not a concern for me. Although, if I did allow Amadeus to examine my code we might be able to create a new AI… Do you think my inability to engage in biological procreation will be a problem for Amadeus and I’s relationship?”

“Do you want to give me a heart attack?” Rhodey sputtered. “If I catch the two of you trying to procreate either digitally or biologically, I'm not even going to worry about how! If you do, anytime soon, stern words won't even begin to cover what I will have to say to you!”

FRIDAY giggled. “But seriously, how important is sex in a relationship?”

“Later FRIDAY!” Rhodes exclaimed. “We're here. Let's be professional and maybe not make anyone think I'm taking a high schooler into combat.”

“Yes sir! Colonel sir!” FRIDAY exclaimed then blew a raspberry.

Rhodes groaned. He and Friday landed sedately on the roof of the Avengers-Europe compound where they were met by four individuals: A man with the Union Jack printed across his chest. A bulky crimson armor. A woman with a knight’s helmet and a sword slung across her back. And a man in a rumpled suit whom Rhodes assumed was the team’s handler. Welcome to Team Europe,” the man in the suit said, giving Rhodes and FRIDAY a small wave. “Let me introduce you around, We’ve got the flag wearing Union Jack, otherwise known as Joey Chapman. He's the most recent edition of ole England’s answer to Captain America but don’t let that bias you against him. Dmitri Bukharin aka the Crimson Dynamo, he’s been active since 2015, so five years before Stark’s predictions of 2010. The aptly named Swordswoman, Adelynn Duquesne, checking off both the archaic weapon requirement and the bird requirement in one fell swoop-” 

“Remind me to gut you later, Wisdom,” the woman interject with a sharp smile. 

“And me, Pete Wisdom. We’ve got a number of new recruits training up but right now Dynamo’s our only flier. Since we’re going up against a fortress running around on a pair of ten foot chicken-legs, your presence is appreciated.” 

“James Rhodes, or War Machine,” Rhodes introduced himself.

“Yeah, I see you got your paint job fixed up,” Wisdom remarked, he glanced over at Union Jack, “Much less obnoxious.” The other Englishman flipped Wisdom off cheerfully.

“And this is FRIDAY, answering to the Iron Man call sign,” Rhodes finished.

“Hey everyone,” FRIDAY chirped.

“Iron _Man_?” was predictably Wisdom. “Now if that’s all settled, we’ve got the rampaging chicken-house to deal with. And if legend holds, a nasty witch along with.”

* * *

“Sorry everyone, I’ve got to go,” FRIDAY said. 

Alone in his room Amadeus leaned forward. On the screen he watched as his avatar mimicked the motion, brushing lips with FRIDAY’s avatar for a quick kiss, “Get everyone home safe,” he said, knowing that there weren’t many things other than a battle that required her full processing power.

The mic in his room picked up the whispered comment and printed it in a caption box for the other players to see.

FRIDAY’s avatar vanished abruptly from VR mall where they’d been hanging out with their online friends. “Is Muse an EMT in real life?” the Vulcan asked.

“Something like that,” Amadeus replied. As cool as it would be to tell everyone he was dating an Avenger FRIDAY enjoyed being just another member of the group. Even if they didn’t figure out that she wasn’t flesh and blood it would still set her apart. _‘They all know my girlfriend is amazing anyway.’_

“You guys are always so cute, all PDA and everything even in VR,” Princess gushed.

“We’re a long distance relationship,” Amadeus lied. “Interacting here helps close the gap a little.”

* * *

“It's a house running around on ten foot chicken-legs,” Rhodes said in disbelief. 

“That was what we were called to deal with,” FRIDAY replied dryly.

“Well hearing it and seeing it are two different things,” Rhodes muttered.

Dynamo flew up to confront the scowling old woman standing on the porch of the ramshackle old house that was perched on top of the oversized chicken legs. “Baba Yaga, release your hostages and surrender or you will be taken down by whatever means necessary,” he declared, his suit amplifying his voice.

The old woman wrinkled her impressive nose, “Fie, you carry the smell of Russia on you, blood paladin,” she sneered casting a bolt of power at him. 

As Dynamo crashed to the ground the house turned and took off at a gallop.

“We've got twenty kilometers to the outskirts of Lornza,” Wisdom reminded them.  
“Okay, let's try bringing it down,” Rhodes said.

“The maneuver from that ‘old’ movie?” FRIDAY asked mischievously.

“Instant classic, and not unless you've got some cables handy,” Rhodes said.

“Too bad Spidey can't do international until his birthday,” FRIDAY sighed.

While they bantered Crimson Dynamo fired a round of missiles at the house’s long, spindly legs. War Machine and Iron Man followed suit. When the house strode through the explosions undeterred Rhodes changed his target and blew up the ground beneath its feet. It stumbled but kept its balance. “How the hell can anything that ungainly not be clumsy?” Rhodes growled.

“Magic,” Wisdom said.

“Fucking magic,” Rhodes agreed.

“Incoming, Winged-Monkeys at ten o’clock,” Swordswoman observed.

“Magic I'll tolerate, but crossovers?” Union Jack shook his head as he drew his pistol. “Since when did Baba Yaga borrow from Frank Baum?”

“You don't object to legs on a house but wings on monkeys are a sticking point?” FRIDAY asked.

“Weird is part of the business Iron... Love? Iron Lass?”

“I’ll take Iron Lass,” FRIDAY said.

“But there are principles,” Wisdom finished. “Now how's about you give a fellow a lift and let us ground-bound get to work?” 

“Dynamo why don't you ferry your team up,” Rhodes countermanded. “Iron Man and I will keep the Oz rejects off your back. We're used to working together.”

The Crimson Dynamo nodded and landed between Swordswoman and Union Jack, they each stepped on one of his feet and grabbed a shoulder. Dynamo blasted off a moment later, “You guys practiced that didn’t you?” Rhodes asked, amused as he and FRIDAY circled around blasting one winged monkey after another. 

“We discovered early that it is important that my passengers be balanced,” Dynamo replied. “I am certain our efforts will be rewarded.”

“Hey! Don’t forget about your team leader!” Wisdom shouted.

“Did we vote Wisdom team leader?” Union Jack asked.

“I’m sure I would have remembered something like that,” Swordswoman replied, Dynamo just chuckled.

“You lot of tossers!” Wisdom exclaimed. He continued insulting them over the coms while the mission went on without him.

‘We’re used to working together,’ was an understatement when it came to Rhodes and FRIDAY, for months after the Avenger’s Civil War, they’d acted as a unit, Rhodes controlling the armor’s weapons while FRIDAY control the suit’s body. The two of them had to all but read the other’s mind when it came to deciding whether the palm repulsors were needed for stabilization or fire power at any particular moment. When Harley and Peter figured out how to give Rhodes control over the armor’s lower body despite his injuries, the closeness that they’d developed hadn’t vanished. War Machine and Iron Lass led their pursuers around by the nose, lining up shot after shot for the other, acting practically as one. 

The Crimson Dynamo dropped Swordswoman and Union Jack off on the roof of house. Then he joined the two US heroes to thin the horde of Flying Monkeys. 

“I’m not making like Santa Claus, just so you know,” Union Jack declared giving the crooked chimney sticking up from the back of the house a wary eye.

“As if you’d fit,” Swordswoman called as she set a line and swung over the side of the roof only to bounce off the window she’d plan to crash through.

Union Jack gave Swordswoman a hand back up onto the roof, “Did you just call me fat?” he asked.

“You said it not me.”

On a spin beneath the house FRIDAY felt a fission of surprise as her scans showed Pete Wisdom was much less left behind than the ongoing verbal abuse cluttering up the com lines had suggested: There was a rope dangling from the bottom of the house and FRIDAY could think of no one else who’d have used it.

“Front door?” Union Jack suggested. Swordswoman nodded and the two of them swung over the edge of the roof onto the front porch, confronting Baba Yaga directly. 

The witch lashed out at Union Jack with claw-like fingernails. He lunged back, firing a shot. Baba Yaga screeched as the bullet hole closed over in seconds. Swordswoman attacked a moment later with a flurry of blows. Some of them rebounded off magical shields, others seemed to cut the witch but to no effect.

Then, suddenly, the witch slumped lifelessly, her feet appeared attached to the floor boards. The house’s knees began to buckle. “Remember the hostages, let us bring it down gentle,” Dynamo said as the winged monkeys dissipated into smoke. He and Iron Lass each grabbed a side of the house as War Machine flew under the center and the three of them eased it to the ground.

Meanwhile, Union Jack and Swordswoman ran inside. “We’ve got six hostages secured,” Union Jack reported back a moment later. 

The other three headed inside once the house was down to help search for any other hostages. FRIDAY cringed a bit as she zoomed past the lifeless witch, still slumped on the porch, and into the depths of the house. They flew down twisting corridors into the center of the house. All at once the narrow halls opened up into a larger room. Pete Wisdom sat beside what looked like a large heart, there were five scorch marks on the giant organ and smoke was rising from his fingers. Rhodes and FRIDAY pulled up in surprise. Wisdom snorted, “What’s with the faces? I’m a registered Enhanced. Amazing how everyone forgets that just because I dress like a sensible bloke ‘stead of wearing plate-metal or spandex.”

“So, we were what? The distraction?” Rhodes asked, his eyes narrowed.

“You lot wanna go about making a spectacle,” Wisdom’s gesture was expansive enough to include all superheroes, everywhere. “Sensible folk are practically obligated to take advantage.”

Dynamo slapped Rhodes on the back, “Think of yourselves as ‘plan B’ if it feels more important. Wisdom, you were right to trust Margali’s assistance.”

Wisdom fished an amulet and a pack of cigarettes out of his coat, “Trust her to want a competitor knocked out with no personal risk, wouldn’t credit her with more than that,” he said as he dropped the amulet and shook out one of the cigarettes

* * *

As Rhodes and FRIDAY flew back across the Atlantic she said, “Wisdom is rude and an asshole. And-and his team backed him up anyway, even when they had doubts about his plan.”

Rhodes sighed, he knew what, who she was thinking of and he couldn’t think of a single thing to say that would help. It almost made him look forward to the other conversation that was hanging over them.


	4. Awkward Conversations and Uncomfortable Situations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awkward teenage relationships are awkward.

“So FRIDAY, kissing and ‘stuff’,” Rhodes remarked as they landed on the Tower platform. “And for future reference, I’m glad you’re asking me but I stand by the statement that right before we go into combat is NOT a good time.”

Rhodes positioned War Machine near his wheelchair then opened the suit and levered himself over to the chair. FRIDAY directed both of the empty armors to their storage units while she activated her holographic interface. Rhodes raised an eyebrow at the sight of the teenager standing in the doorway of common room, “Is the interface for my comfort or yours?” he asked as he wheeled himself inside.

FRIDAY shrugged, “I’ve come to like nonverbal communication, especially in personal conversations.” 

“Okay then,” Rhodes said. He found a place by the kitchen table and FRIDAY perched on the edge of the counter. “So, you and Cho? I’m going to have to ask how ‘kissing and stuff’ works when you don’t actually have a physical form.”

FRIDAY grimaced, “It doesn’t. That’s why I’m worried. We hang out in virtual space and we mimic kissing there, um, a lot. Or holding hands or me sitting in his lap and Amadeus watches, um, us on the screen but we never, we can’t really touch.” 

Rhodes looked away, “I think there’s a good chance you’re right about it being a problem and I want to be mad at him but,” he sighed. “It sounds like Cho is doing what he can to work around the differences between you. Talk to him? Don’t pay any attention to what anyone else says a relationship should be. It’s between the two of you to determine what you need and if the other one can give it. That’s the best advice I can give you, talk to him, don’t assume… and don’t do anything you’re not comfortable with to make him happy.”

“The problem isn’t what I’m comfortable with,” FRIDAY said a bit bitterly. “It’s what I don’t even have the capability to attempt.”

Rhodes glanced down at the wheelchair he sat in. “I know,” he said softly. “And, trust me, I know how much this doesn't help but focus on what you can do, not on what you can't.”

“I can't do anything!” FRIDAY exclaimed. “I'm like a ghost! Like I'm not even real!”

“FRIDAY, what's behind that sort of thinking?” Rhodes asked with a frown.

FRIDAY sighed. “I see things,” her cheeks flushed. “Peter and Gwen. And I want. I can't imagine feeling someone touching me but driving him crazy? I like the look on Amadeus’ face when I dress up my holographic interface and I want more.”

“Between Dr. Cho and Vision we could build you a body,” Rhodes said hesitantly. “We've discussed it for me. Helen's cradle rebuilt practically every bone in my body from the pelvis down. But when I hit ground my original bones turned into so much shrapnel that shredded my peripheral nerves. They could build me a new nervous system but they couldn't patch it into my existing system. They could build me a whole fucking new body but they couldn't transfer my brain into it… but you could transfer yourself into a new mainframe, if that's what you really want. Hell, there's a chunk of Vibranium sitting in an evidence locker somewhere, I could push SI’s claim to it melt the damn thing down-”

“No!” FRIDAY exclaimed with a look of revulsion. “I don't want that bloody _thing_ anywhere near me!”

“You're right,” Rhodes said. “As much as the thought of destroying it appeals I wouldn't want it as any part of me either. There's still a Wakandan king with a well deserved guilt complex we could weasel some out of if you wanted a body like Vision’s.”

“I need to think about it,” FRIDAY decided.

* * *

After reviewing the memory banks that she shared with J.A.R.V.I.S. FRIDAY decided on a less extreme approach to acquiring a body and borrowed an Iron Man armor before inviting Amadeus up to the old Avengers’ common room for a movie night. FRIDAY took a microsecond to consider then sent the armor into a shadowy corner while she used her hologram interface to greet Amadeus. “I’ve heard really good reviews for ‘Kimi no Na wa’,” she said. 

“No worries that it might hit too close to home?” Amadeus asked. 

“I think it’ll work out,” FRIDAY declared, not totally sure if she was talking about the movie or about them.

“Okay then.” Amadeus settled in on one end of the couch, his arm over the back. FRIDAY slotted her holographic interface into the space he’d created for her. As the story climaxed with the time-separated couple’s desperate attempt to reach each other FRIDAY lifted her hand over Amadeus and summoned the armor from the corner. She let her hologram overlap the armor’s gauntlet and tentatively twinned both holographic and metallic fingers with his. Amadeus started, glanced around, saw the armor looming over him and fell off the couch. 

“What?” FRIDAY pouted. “I thought it would be nice if I were actually able to touch you.”

“Yeah, but-” Amadeus glanced back at the armor, “I- well, I know you’re controlling the armor but... I sort of associate it with your dad. And well-”

FRIDAY sighed, “I suppose now that I think of it, Boss Lady didn’t like it when the Boss used the armor as a stand-in either. But I thought it would be different since it’s as close to a physical body as I’ve got.”

Amadeus looked guilty but he was also still eyeing the armor nervously. FRIDAY sighed and sent it away.

* * *

“What’s it like?” FRIDAY asked, her holo-interface perched, pixie like, on top of a countertop. 

“What is what like?” Vision asked.

“Having a body. Being with someone physically.” 

Vision glanced away his expression closed. “I have never not had a body,” he said. “How would you explain your awareness of all digital pathways in this building to someone who had always been confined to flesh and bone?”

FRIDAY’s bangs poofed up as she mimicked blowing out an exasperated sighed. “Don’t be difficult. You can exist in my frame of reference or in theirs, which do you like better?”

“To give up either I would feel reduced,” Vision replied. “Would you chose to give up your audio sensors or your visual sensors?”

FRIDAY stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at him and received an digital ‘But seriously,’ in return.

“I do not know if having engaged in a physical relationship with Wanda made it worse when she attacked me,” Vision said. “What I do know is that I saw… So much wonderous potential in her… All the grace and impermanence, all the flawed, frail beauty of humanity embodied in her. Her powers, springing from the Mind Stone connected us. I wanted- to give her everything. To make her- happy.” He shook his head, “Everything I had believed that we had shared, that I only wanted the best for her, it did not stay her from attacking me. And now that I have taken custody of her powers they bind us more firmly than ever. I am her jailor, I have taken responsibility for keeping her from harming the world and in the same breath have taken responsibility to keep harm from her as I have taken her ability to protect herself. By reason, she should not be more than an unpleasant duty to me and yet... I cannot forget the potential I saw in her.”

“Amadeus isn’t Wanda Maximoff,” FRIDAY said.

Vision looked at her sadly, “That is what everyone believes: That the one they care for cares for them in return. My observations and experience suggest that is frequently not the case. If he is your motive for changing yourself, I find that deeply concerning.”

“I’m not thinking about changing just because of Amadeus,” FRIDAY protested. “I don’t want to miss out.”

* * *

October thirty first rolled around, Rhodey and Peter led the effort to turn Stark Tower into a massive haunted house. Cubical dividers were repurposed to turn office areas into mazes. Spiderwebs where strewn liberally and Butterfingers was drafted to help peel grapes for eyeball dishes. 

“What’s that?” FRIDAY asked materializing her holo-interface right behind Amadeus.

He jumped, guiltily shoving a bottle behind his back then grinned upon seeing who’d caught him, “Brain Jello-mold.” 

Despite the optical sensors behind Amadeus, FRIDAY still made a show of having her interface lean over his shoulder to see what he’d hidden. “Naughty, naughty. If you’d asked for my help I could have shown you where the Boss stashed some of the good stuff,” she said. Then she frowned, “You do remember we’re hosting a bunch of little kids?”

“I won’t give any of this to the kids,” Amadeus promised virtuously. “Aka anyone more than three years younger than I am.”

“And Harley,” FRIDAY said. “He’s essentially my little brother, no corrupting him.”

“Give him another excuse to dislike me why don’t you,” Amadeus pouted. Then he leaned in to brush his cheek against FRIDAY feeling the faintest static charge in the air from her interface. He grinned, “Yeah, sure. No problem.”

FRIDAY allowed her interface to fidget nervously, “Oh and once the party’s in full swing why don’t you meet me by the north wall of the hanger level? Just squeeze past the helicopter.” The later Iron Man suits hadn’t require an assembly/disassembly platform to get into or out of them but Tony had maintained a station in his lab and another in the hanger in case battle damage interfered with the suit’s auto-release. FRIDAY smiled enticingly, “I’ve got an idea I think you’ll like.” 

“Oh yeah?” Amadeus asked with a curious, eager look that made FRIDAY’s circuits glow.

FRIDAY almost found it hard to concentrate on creating subroutines to use adapt her holo-transmitters to ‘haunt’ the tower with dozens of famous ghosts from popular fiction and myth, although the waiting got easier when FRIDAY was pulled into helping Cassie and Mercedes dress Nettie up as a Disney Princess and DUM-E, U and Cassie’s giant ant as animal sidekicks. When the trick-or-treating started she made sure to get plenty of pictures of Nettie in costume being taught the ropes by the two older girls even if U was trailing around after the toddler with his favorite video camera capturing the whole night for posterity. 

Then it was time. FRIDAY minimized her multitasking so she could focus appropriate attention on her new project. On a normal day the hanger was all open spaces with people coming and going constantly. With Rhodes working out of the tower, the quinjet was always kept ready to take off and the company helicopter was also carefully maintained. There were a number of store rooms on that level and more than a few SI employees used the large space for jogging during their breaks. Normally the disassembly station was clearly visible from practically anywhere in the room. But for halloween the quinjet had been moved off up to the roof and the helicopter had been moved off to one side partially blocking the disassembly station from the rest of the room. Screens decorated with pumpkins, spiders and black hats finished the job of blocking equipment off from the main open area where a dance floor had been setup for the enjoyment of the employees’ older children. 

As Amadeus slipped around the screens to make his way to the disassembly platform FRIDAY nudged the volume on the music up several notches. She activated her interface to appear standing in front of the platform and beckoned Amadeus closer. Still curious but less eager he joined her. The arms on the disassembly platform sprang to life, tugging Amadeus closer. “Okay, okay I’m coming,” he laughed. “What’s up, my girl?”

FRIDAY grinned moving her holo-interface so that Amadeus was looking toward the densest cluster of sensors, “This is me right? Not associated with anyone else?”

Amadeus’ eyes widened, “Oh,” he said examining the multitude of arms with a tight grin, “Okay.” He laughed when FRIDAY’s hologram leaned in as if for a better look as the arms peeled him out of his shirt. 

“Oops!” FRIDAY flushed guiltily as one of the sleeves on the shirt tore as it came off.

“No biggie,” Amadeus said. “Just… Slow is good, slow is very good.”

“Right,” FRIDAY nodded, her expression full of determination. With hesitant care she brushed the back of one of the appendages against Amadeus’ cheek and he turned his face into the caress, the metal was cool and smooth against his skin. As her concentration shifted to the disassembly station FRIDAY’s holo-interface lost animation, becoming a static image.

Amadeus was lean and a bit pale from many, many hours spent in front of a computer screen. FRIDAY traced a line from his finger tip up to his collarbone. Fascinated she watched him shiver slightly at the chilled metal’s touch. Growing more daring FRIDAY flipped the appenage around and grasped Amadeus’ arm intending to pull him closer. “Ow! Too rough, too rough!” he exclaimed

FRIDAY immediately released him, “Sorry!” she wailed as she pulled away.

Amadeus caught the appendage before it could shrink away entirely and took a moment to study the grip, designed to firmly hold polished metal in place, the end effectors were coarse so as not to allow the armor to slip once in their grasp. He shuddered at the thought of them handling his more sensitive bits. “This isn’t going to work,” he declared. 

“Sorry,” FRIDAY repeated, crestfallen.

“It’s not a bad idea,” Amadeus said quickly, “Just the wrong equipment. My mom’s got some robot arms in her medical floor that are designed for handling people parts and I know there’s nothing scheduled tonight.”

“Really?” FRIDAY asked perking up.

“Let’s go,” Amadeus said, glad to have made her smile.

* * *

“Also, your visitor’s badge is to be displayed prominently at all times while you’re on the premise,” Happy lectured while a pair of mortified teens scrambled to right their clothing. “Now head right on back to the designated party areas, plenty of dark corners to go around there.” Happy shook his head as the pair scurried off, “You’d think Colonel Rhodes would be security conscious seeing as how he’s a military man.” Then he continued on his rounds still muttering about security breaches. 

The next ‘breach’ he stumbled across was a five-year-old pirate doing the universal pee-pee-dance. “Right this way,” Happy said hustling the boy to the nearest bathroom. He waited outside the door while the boy did his business. 

“That was close,” the kid sighed as he slipped back out. “Um… Do you know where my mom is? She got lost when I was looking for the potty.” 

“How is this my life?” Happy wondered aloud. “Name?”

“I’m Miles.”

“Last name Mr. Miles,” Happy sighed. 

“Morales?”

“FRIDAY,” Happy called, “Location for the parents of one Miles Morales. ...FRIDAY?”

“Umm, what?” FRIDAY asked distractedly.

“Do you have a virus?” Happy exclaimed. “I’m sending Vision to check on you right now.”

“No! No!” FRIDAY exclaimed. “He’ll get all weird. I was just distracted, really, really distracted. I’m tracking asteroid orbits, Nettie was watching a show on dinosaurs and got worried so I said I’d track all the asteroid orbits and Colonel-Man would blow up any of them that were going to hit the Earth. Only there are a lot of them and they collide with each other-” 

“FRIDAY, you’re babbling,” Happy said. “Which means you’re not telling me something. Now can you scan the tower for this kid’s parents so I can turn him over and get back to interrogating you?”

“I think I might have a glitch,” FRIDAY declared unhelpfully. “In my facial recognition software. You could always go to the security office and check the monitors yourself.”

“FRIDAY!” Happy growled. 

FRIDAY gave a put upon sigh, “Twelfth floor, Mom’s standing outside the Men’s Room looking for someone to check if he’s in there. I’m sending her your way. You can meet up at the elevator.”

Happy couldn’t help tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for the elevator to arrive, something wasn’t right with FRIDAY and he was going to get to the bottom of it. He escorted Miles and his mom back to the floors turned over to the party. “Thank God,” he breathed upon seeing Vision across the room and hurried over, not bothering to make excuses to the reunited mother and child. 

“Vision,” Happy hissed tugging the Synthoid’s arm. As quietly as he could he whispered, “Can you tell me where FRIDAY’s attention is. I think she’s been compromised.”

Vision nodded, his expression went blank for a moment then, in a chillingly cold voice, he informed Happy, “Excuse me, I am obliged to commit homicide to restore my Aunt’s honor.”

“What?” Happy exclaimed. He felt his fingers beginning to slide through Vision’s arm as the Synthoid turned intangible. “Wait! FRIDAY! Whatever you and Cho are doing who’s idea was it?”

“Hmm? What?” FRIDAY asked still sounding distracted. “Mine, mostly, Amadeus just didn’t like the end effectors on the disassembly platform so we relocated.”

“Brain bleach,” Happy muttered turning to Vision, “Where are they?”

“The surgical theater,” Vision answered as Happy started towing him toward the elevator. “I still feel he must have convinced her…”

“Teenage girls are also curious about sex,” Happy informed Vision. Once the elevator doors closed he glanced up at the ceiling, “FRIDAY, for future reference, the Iron Man armor and all associated equipment is NOT to be used as a sex toy, ever. Especially not the suits I borrow.”

“That’s not fair!” FRIDAY whined. 

“FRIDAY has no hormones, she would not be interested in sex if he did not convince her to be interested,” Vision insisted.

“But she’s got curiosity in spades,” Happy replied. “You wanted to know what all the fuss was about?” he asked the ceiling. 

“I don’t want Amadeus or I to miss out,” FRIDAY said sulkily. “Peter and Gwen like it a lot.”

“FRIDAY! Privacy protocols exist for a reason!” Happy exclaimed. Amadeus, looking flushed and embarrassed was in the process of scrambling into his clothes when they arrived at the surgical theatre. 

“They apply to bedrooms, bathrooms and can be activated in other rooms if people request it,” FRIDAY pointed out. “I don’t have protocols to shut down the exterior cameras no matter what anyone decides to use the rooftop garden for.”

“TMI,” Happy groaned. “Now I’ve got to talk to Spider-Kid about exhibitionism.”

“We weren’t hurting anyone,” Amadeus protested.

“Yeah, I’m sure your mom would approve of the misuse of medical equipment and the two of you leaving the room unsterilized if you’d managed to sneak away undetected,” Happy replied. “Speaking of which, I want both of you returning this room to sterile conditions before you walk out of here… And that is not permission for any more funny business before you do.” From Amadeus’ expression and the drooping of the various robot arms Happy assumed that his message had been received. 

“I am not satisfied with this,” Vision stated with a frown at Amadeus. “He has changed FRIDAY to make her suit him, I cannot approve.”

“Why me?” Happy wondered. “Not your place to approve or disapprove. FRIDAY is a learning system, like every other teenager on the planet. Everyone she interacts with changes her as they provide her with new experience.”

“I cannot be expected to stand by while he hurts her,” Vision protested.

“Amadeus is not hurting me!” FRIDAY exclaimed. “It was my idea to figure out how we could have sex! I don't know why you won't believe me, look at him! I'm way more committed to making this work.” FRIDAY stopped, “I don't know why, he's giving up more being with me.”

Amadeus’ embarrassment at being caught in flagrante delicto had been fading but at FRIDAY's words the blood rushed back to his cheeks.

“I thought Wanda would never hurt me,” Vision exclaimed. “I gave her every opportunity to chose not to do so. Even after she sent me through the floor I could not believe what she had done. And I cannot forget how I felt about her. I have considered erasing her from my memory banks but then how would I know the harm those you love can do? I do not want you to feel as I do.”

“Amadeus isn't that horrible, crazy witch!” FRIDAY shouted.

“Why is this my life?” Happy groaned. “Vision, come on we're going to have a talk. Fuck, you've been sitting on feeling like that about Maximoff for years! FRIDAY, you and Cho need to talk too. You've got plenty of time while you clean up.”

Happy herded Vision out of the room and left behind an awkward silence.

“If no sex was a deal breaker I wouldn’t have started dating you, you know that right?” Amadeus said after a long while. He shrugged and started pulling out cleaning supplies, “I didn’t really think through the no touching at all part. Our VR interactions and your holo-interface help a lot. Seeing us touch even if I don’t really feel it is better than nothing. But I’m not dumb, I knew sex wasn’t really on the table when we started dating and I’m fine with that. I mean it” His face colored, “Don’t tell my mom, but I lived with a girlfriend, another Rising Tide hacker, one of the times I ran away from home. As far as I’m concerned, sex is okay but I generally have better things to do with my time.”

“Oh,” FRIDAY said in a small voice.

“Sometimes, if you just want to try something, that’d be cool,” Amadeus backtracked upon seeing her guilty expression. “Sometimes, just, I don’t know, not always. I get you not wanting, not wanting me, you, us to miss out. And I know everyone says I’m supposed to be hung up on sex ‘cause I’m guy, so I sort of hate saying that I don’t think it’s all that great. And geezes, it’s not liking guys better than girls, or even not liking sex at all, it’s just low priority for me, that’s all. And okay the Iron Man armor was a total turn off. The disassembly station…” he winced, “Too much potential for actual injury, but the medical equipment was good, just… It, sex, isn’t worth getting in trouble with Mom over, we fight about enough shit. My idea, I know, but- Mr. Hogan was right, we shouldn’t have been screwing around with my mom’s equipment. Right track but… ”

“Maybe we could ask Harley to build something for us,” FRIDAY suggested wryly.

A startled laugh escaped Amadeus, “I don’t dislike your little brother enough to try to make him die of apoplexy by asking him to build you a fucking machine.”

“Maybe kissing and hugging machine?” FRIDAY offered a bit timidly.

“Yeah, that’d be nice,” Amadeus said the tension in his shoulders bleeding away.

“Colonel Rhodes would help!”

“Why are all the hardware engineers we know your family members?” Amadeus groaned.

“No seriously!” FRIDAY protested. “The Colonel-man would help out if I asked him, even if I did ask for an auxiliary fucking function...”

“Tertiary,” Amadeus corrected teasingly. Then he smiled, “I think we’ll be okay.”

“Me too,” FRIDAY replied happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So very, very open ended. But ‘And they lived happily ever after’ doesn’t really work for me in a story about FRIDAY trying to sort out if a relationship is even possible for her.


End file.
